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PERU: 12.11.2007 - 22.01 2008
Route: Puno, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Cusco, Ayacucho, Huancayo,
Huanuco, Huaraz, Casma, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Máncaro
Cycled kilometres: 3451 km of
Ascent: 28675 m
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Preface: Peru was one of the countries in which cycling
was not always pure pleasure. Clear, the Inca's ruins of Machu Picchu
and the Lake Titicaca were quite impressive, however, many grit runways
bad now and again (several broken spokes, a broken rim, carrier and
carrier's connection broken) itself from the valleys situated on 2000
m about passes between 4000 m and 4800 m, many aggressive dogs, the
omnipresent "Gringo" - or "Gringo give me money" - calls, the extreme
weather conditions now and again with snow on the passes and the extreme
heat in the valleys or on the coast have demanded of us quite a lot
a lot. Then after the strenuous times with the mountain dwellers the
incredibly friendly coastal inhabitants were like balm on the soul,
and in particular Willian and his family as well as Lucho and Aracelli
we have to owe it that we have not been frustrated completely. Differently
than a lot of other bicycle traveller we have camped as usual also
in Peru nearly exclusively wildly and have never felt, besides,
unwell or even threatened, even if we have maybe selected our camp
sites a little more carefully than in the neighbouring countries. |
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233. Weekly report 11.10. - 18/11/2007
Route: Puno, Cusco, Santa Theresa, Aquas Calientes, Cusco, Abancay |
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Lake Titicaca: The name of the famous lake consists
of the words "Titi" and "Kaka.". While "Titi" translates "puma" is
called, "Kaka" means "stone, rock or grey". If one sees the Lake Titicaca
from above so one can recognise with some imagination the form of
a puma who catches just a small animal, and, otherwise, from the swimming
islands a grayish colour (funnily where he has of the Lake Titicaca,
nevertheless is radiant blue). Compound hotly Titikaka "grey puma". |
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Flamingos: We have been surprised
a little bit when we see flamingos in the middle on the shore of the
Lake Titicacas. Up to now we have seen flamingos rather in areas settled
less close (with the exception of the flamingos with Calafate).The
flamingos are very close on the shore and thus I come along on the
photo deerstalking. |
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Mud: On the way back from my
flamingo safari I want to take another way not to have to run directly
along the field edge. If I had sometimes rather nicely give up, because
although it looks so as if I above a green meadow would run I break
twice up to the knees in black-green morass. The black-green morass
sticks about 1 cm thick to my legs, feet and shoes and looks so tasty
that Nadine rather does not want to come close to me to. I am able
to remove the coarsest morass with one putting, however, the attempt
my feet in the lake fail to wash, because the whole shore is very
slushy here. A few kilometres farther, then, however, at last, finally,
a rocky place with clear water and thus I am a clean little pig again. |
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Excursion to the Uros: The Uros, or Islas
Flotantes (Swimming islands), are an island group in the Lake Titicaca
which are built exclusively from reed (Totara). To protect itself
from the aggressive Collas and Incas the Uros have withdrawn some
centuries ago here on her selfbuilt islands in the Lake Titicaca and
also even today several hundred Uros live at this unusual place. Because
we suppose that the situation on the islands by the strong tourism
travels around is strongly tightened, we do not decide by our boats
to paddle to them not to wear out the situation. Moreover, we know
already that with strong ones our boats do not wind are optimum and
it is windy here always. Nevertheless, with one the tour operator
we also do not want drive and thus we proceed to go 6:30 o'clock in
the morning to the harbour around by one of the normal shuttle boats.
When we come the ticket shop assistant believes that another 4 passengers
were absent, before the boat would put away (we are first). No problem
think, nevertheless, we every few minutes a new group of tourists
come. However, all incoming tourists have booked a tour. Also the
young baking packers seem to have a bulging full travel cash, because
everybody goes they together with a tour guide to one of the boats
and disappears in the direction of the islands. In our guide stands
that the school on the island is very grateful for donations of pencils,
and thus it is no miracle that there are here in the landing stage
some women who still want to sell fast a pair of pencils (in the 12th
stack) or coloured pencils to the tourists. The school presumably
gets as a gift meanwhile already so many pencils that they can sell
them to the shop assistants in the landing stage again back (we would
not surprise if it ran so). |
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Fellow-passenger: We already wait one hour
for our missing passengers and are already in doubt whether the idea
to go by the normal boat so felt well really (meanwhile some hundred
tourists with her guides has passed us because) when suddenly a Peruvian
from Arequipa (a town some 300 km north-westerly from Puno) with her
both adult sons also wants to go by the normal boat. The Peruvian
is excited a little bit and, besides, is a little bit dominant, sold,
however, also a good customer of the candy shop assistant her still
fast 3 bags of candies for the children on the island (actually, the
Peruvian wants only 2 bags, nevertheless, the shop assistant she is
convincing that three bags would be better, because she would visit,
finally, 3 islands (however, at last we see only 2 islands and children
there is hardly, because everybody is just at school). Also the jelly
shop assistant finds a good customer with our Peruvian and thus she
buys for herself and her sons once more fast 6x jelly. Even as of
the mother strikes that her photo film is snapped, actually, quite
fully and wants to sending off them just her latest ones around supplies
to shop there comes a woman of the Colca canyon, the second-deepest
canyon of the world which lies here in the south of Peru with her
daughter. Nevertheless, luckily the candy shop assistant has also
photo films and thus one more film on the boat is thrown fast, before
we already put away. During the whole excitement of the last minutes
one of the jellies has liked unfortunately in the boat inside in the
water, the more recently son fished him though from the water, however,
he denies to himself this still to food and now there some rest, finally,
his mother calls in consumed him under the multiple protestation that
no water by the plastic bag has come. Finally, after a half-hour boat
trip through a lane in the reed we come with the Uros. Luckily we
have not paddled ourselves by our boats, because the ground of the
islands lies absolutely 1 m about the water, so that we could not
presumably have got out at all. |
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Construction of the swimming islands:
Then on our island we get from an islander an introduction to
the island culture. All together there are 40 islands everybody in
principle are same, however, have different name. The islands virtually
float 14 m above the sea reason. As a "foundation serve the rhizomes
of the Totora. Afterwards there come the Totora stalks on the rhizomes
and the island is more or less ready. Because the Totora stalks will
rot in the water of course this over and over again on top added.
Then on the ground from Totora to stalks the huts which are of course
also from Totora are built. If one has moved on the islands one the
feeling as one would be a small little narrowness on his sky cloud,
thus is aerial light and springy the run feeling. If one, nevertheless,
too near to the edge of the islands comes it can feel well that the
ground gives way under something, however, we have not got wet feet.
It is completely different then, nevertheless, presumably in a stormy
rainy day if the Totora pieces stick on the feet and the island hard
in swing is. Although the islands with ropes in the sea reason are
anchored, nevertheless, it can already seem that they are torn off
from the wind and further expel on the Lake Titicaca. When he the
scrared face of the Peruvian from Colca sees our islander calmly that
means this no problem the wind would be there sometime again would
turn and would do the islands again back in the island community.
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Islander: On our island 9 families which live on the
fishing and meanwhile on the tourism live. Although the life runs
in principle still very traditionally (fishing, boat construction
and Inslebau claim a lot of time) the communication age has also penetrated
up to this remote corner earth. While our islander to us the construction
of the islands pauses explained he briefly, his mobile phone pulls
out, checks an SMS, smiles briefly and explains afterwards further
the construction of the island. On the islands there is beside a postal
office also a school to which the pupils must row of course by boats.
Interestingly the islanders must pay no taxes. Till some years the
islanders could drink the sea water still simply in such a way, however,
thanks to the modern civilisation has so got dirty of the Lake Titicaca
meanwhile that they must filter the water. Because we with a controlled
tour are not on the move we have to come the luck on one of the islands
visited less often. Here the islanders are very nice, and come even
on us to around themselves with us to maintain quite normally. Although
also Tourist souvenirs are sold here the women are very reserved;
no track from announced in the guide the "to hard and penetrating
sales technologies". |
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Island kitchen: The whole island is slightly ignitable
of course, so that the cooking on the island requires a little bit
more care. A stone record on a tone rack, the cooker serves to the
islanders for the cooking, stands. The culinary cooker is poked of
course with dry Totora to stalks. |
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Fishing: To expect as hardly
differently, the fishing shows a main food spring of the islanders.
To make to itself the life here small a little easier the islanders
have inserted to themselves small "ponds" in the middle of her swimming
islands in which they breed fish to themselves (or presumably the
too small caught fish something else grow before they in the soup
pot land). However, beside fishing water birds also count to the food
and we have surprised that many water birds completely calmly walked
around on the islands, while her dead friendsv without feathers a
few metres lie besides in the shade and on it wait in the frying pan
to be thrown. |
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Boat construction: The only means
of transportation of the islanders were originally the selfbuilt boats
from Totora, although there are meanwhile also many wooden oar boats.
For a reed boat the men of our island (9 men) need about 1-1,5 months.
With ropes the Totora stalks are closely tied up really, so that the
boat becomes very compact and sleek. Nevertheless, unfortunately,
the boats are long-lasting only about 9 months. Actually, we wanted
no spin on one of the reed boats makes, however, at last because overcomes
also the woman from Colca her fear and itself on the boat transfers
we want to be as the only foreigners of our group also no spoilsports
and go also with on a neighbouring island. |
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Return journey: Then on the return journey our woman
from Colca packs all at once the bundle, she wears including and to
the prelight hand-made and hand-embroidered pockets, belts, bags and
mobile phone pockets come. If one already an excursion makes one can
use the opportunity immediately to the other tourists to sell own
Souvenir stuff to earn the travel expenses thus. Then the woman from
Arequipa also is equally completely enthusiastically from the pockets
and buys, finally, three embroidered mobile phone pockets. An embroidered
belt has particularly done it Nadine and she acquires here for a friendship
price among "travel companions". The mood is happy and let out, everybody
takes photos of everybody to us to us back in Puno of each other by
slap dismiss. Although an excursion to the Uros absolutely one of
the "most tourist" thing is one in the Lake Titicaca he can make us
very well fallen. Because we have gone by the normal boat and have
come thus to society of the "locals" on the islands, are to us the
dance presentations of the islanders (several women stand side by
side in a row and sing the refrain of the old hit "Vamos a la Playa"
and with a loud "Huiiiii" they turn for the end once in the circle)
and the stubborn Souvenir vender saved remaining, so that the excursion
was very nice.
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On our way to Cusco: The area between Puno and Cusco
is settled relatively close and thus it is to be found camp sites
good a little more difficultly. Hence, we cycle to it virtually quite
dark is and then build up fast our tent off the street. We are just,
besides, after a camp site a look out keep closed as Nadine suddenly
an old man by his bicycle (on to whom he still sits) in the roadside
ditch sees lying. We go back to him and ask to him whether he an accident
had or whether we can help him. The notification is not extremely
difficult and we know whether the man either virtually no Spanish
speaks, is got drunk, from an accident still under shock stands or
in principle is rather confused. Then, nevertheless, at last we have
the feeling he no accident had and presumably on his way home by the
darkness was surprised and thus wants to spend here the night. The
only words we of him understand are, we give "no accidente" (no accident)
and panecito (bread roll) and thus him one third of our bread rolls
and a bottle of water. To us what is not yet so clearly with the man
exactly was wrong, because in the area there presented itself, actually
enough, houses in he if necessary could have turned. Nevertheless,
he seems to have had hunger, because he has immediately consumed our
bread rolls. |
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Car wash: Unfortunately, the subject Environment protection
here in South America often is still a rather unknown subject. Plastic
bottles are dropped exactly where one the bottle finishes or thrown
from the car window, plastic bags fly virtually everywhere (nevertheless,
she prefers in the river and in pasture fences in those they get stuck
after of the wind blows them agay) and wild garbage waste dumps directly
in the local edge are often an everyday picture. Especially badly
we find it whenever we seeing that coaches and cars are driven to
the washing simply in the next best river. No miracle that clean drinking
water becomes more and more the goods in short supply. However, unfortunately,
this is often an absolutely unnecessary, home-baked problem. |
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Meetings: The area between Cusco and the Salar de
Uyuni particularly seems to be liked with bicycle travellers, because
except New Zealand and Patagonia we have never seen so many cyclists
in so short time. Beside 2 German (www.radventura.net) and 2 Austrian
cyclists (see Bolivia reports), to a Portuguese from China (Macao),
a Brazilian, 3 cyclists we have seen only from the coach, to 2 Englishmen,
a Canadian, 3 Americans from Seattle, 2 French on couch wheels (globicyclette.yahoo.fr),
a Japanese (www.sekiji.net) and the 5-headed French family (see Bolivia
reports) we have also found a family from Switzerland. This makes
28 cyclists on just 1000 km with us! From the cyclists at least 8
are on the move, by the way (incl. us) already longer than one year.
Among the rest, we have also met a very nice Belgian couple on a motorcycle
from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in just 6 months want to go (ww.viaje-america.blogspot.com).
Resists the scanty time they have, nevertheless, as them have seen
us over again turned around himself with us to maintain. Now though
this does not sound a lot, however, during the last 4.5 years just
one motorcyclist has has stopped and has turned round quite immediately
none! |
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Swiss cycling family: Shortly before Cusco
we hit on Florian, Rebekka and Chan, to three Swiss on bicycle world
trip (http://www.dreirad.fenris.ca). Florian and Rebekka are
before several years to her world trip broken open, nevertheless,
as Rebekka then in Canada all at once pregnant was the both have taken
first of all a small compulsive break what was relatively trouble-free
thanks to Rebekas double citizenship (Swiss Canadian), nevertheless.
Differently than many others have not shifted the both, or now more
three, her travel plans indefinitely. Chan was hardly big enough to
spend in only longer time in the bicycle follower Three have got on
the way again. Then from Canada over the USA and Central America Chan
still had this enjoy themselves from dad by the world to let ride
in a coach, however, since Cusco the comfortable life and "hard cycleday"
is over shouts. Here in Cusco you have agreed because spezialadapter
from Switzerland by means of which one can fasten a normal child wheel
to a normal bicycle (the front wheel of the child wheel comes to the
with which the steering system is blocked). Now thus Chan can cycle,
according to traffic situation, every now and then some kilometres
itself and he is connected, however, still firmly with mummies wheel.
However, to the need there is always the comfortable bicycle follower
of dad into whom he can withdraw, however, the comfortable day are
absolutely already counted:-). What has particularly impressed us
with the three ones, is that they have maintained her travel style
in spite of younger generation more or less. Now clear it gives this
or other Hostel more, however, in principle it is camped and if the
travel cash is empty, is just stopped and worked! Although we have
talked absolutely 2 hours in the street edge, and with it absolutely
Chans patience have strained substantially, the time was too short.
However, if one itself not exactly with the camp site search hits
only little time remains to one for such travel meetings. |
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234. Weekly report 19.10. - 25/11/2007
Route: Cusco, Santa Theresa, Aquas Calientes, Cusco |
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Avoidance of the monopolist "Peru
Rail": The railway company "Peru Rail" pursued by an English company
puts apart from the Inca Trail (who is there only about in expensive
controlled travelling groups passably) ordinarily the only possibility
to reach to Machu Picchu. Peru Rail uses his monopoly position shamelessly
and requires prices one absolutely as impertinent can call (in particular
if one thinks that we are here in South America). The tickets for
the 110-km-long distance reach from the cheap "baking packer's ticket"
for 96, - $US up to the ticket in the luxury train "Hiram Bingham"
for 588, - $US. The about 40 km long short distance from Ollantaytambo
is for only 68, - to have $US. Peruvians pay, by the way, in the local
train forbidden for foreign tourists (from Ollantaytambo) under 1.5$US!
Such extravagances are with our common day budget of about 13, - €
of course completely impossibly and thus we choose one of the less
known alternative routes. From Cusco we go by bus during about 7 hours
to Santa Maria. We need a little longer, because still within Cusco
our coach suffers an engine trouble (we were already very sceptical
as us already before departure the coach driver with the tool box
have seen) and it a little bit lasts, until the spare coach comes.
The spare coach is a little smaller, so that some passengers must
sit now on plastic stools in the way. Then from Santa Maria it goes
by a minibus (VW coach size) in we with 23 people "easily" fit
in and during about two hours about adventurous grit runway (with
a landslide we must get out with one third of the passengers and run)
go to Santa Theresa where we the night in one overcharged for Hostel
spend (we could be cheated). The next morning we concern the last
kilometres to Aquas Calientes on foot. After we have crossed Rio Urubamba
in a little bit adventurous cable railway (for ourselves it goes downhill
and we can sit, however, the pupils on our side must want with up
to 6 men stand and, besides, stretch uphill) it goes first on a street
2 hours up to a hydroelectric power plant. In the hydroelectric power
plant we must register ourselves with a police check post before we
can run the last 2 hours on the railroad to Aquas Calientes, the village
at feet from Machu Picchu. |
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Ascent of the Putucusi: From Aquas Calientes
one can mount the Putucusi, a mountain directly towards from Machu
Picchu. The way is precipitous and one may also creep about some ladders,
however, the look of the summit is magnificent. One is a little
higher than Machu Picchu on the other valley side and is complete
alone. While we the first hour the summit still for ourselves have
joined itself later still a very nice couple from Slovakia to us and
we enjoy the view together before we before the approaching thick
dark rain clouds in the valley flee. |
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Leaf eater ants: On away to the Putucusi
we see all at once a whole column sheet guts ants. Entrancedly we
watch the small little animals like they the gigantic sheet pieces
from a tree top for her construction somewhere hidden in the primeval
forest drag. I had always thought, actually that the leaf
eater ants eat the sheets and was to be learnt therefore amazedly
that they put on from the sheets the fertile soil for a certain mushroom
which is then her food spring. As with the bees there is also with
the ants passed away "box", they according to job passed away even
completely appearance. Thus there is beside the edge ants bearer,
gardeners (they put on the fertile soil), guard also quite a small
type Ant itself on the sheets umhertragen leaves. Biologists suppose
that these small ants maybe in addition there are to prevent that
wasps lay her eggs during the transport in the already cut sheets. |
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Coach transfer: Because one to the average all-inclusive
tourist (with it we do not mean the people physically not about it
are not able) of course can expect 400 metres height of Aguas Calientes
to the Machu Picchu on foot to put back a street was made specially
for the existing shuttle service in the mountain. The There and return
journey costs floppy 12$US for the 8-km-long distance (for the same
price one can ordinarily drive in Peru absolutely 500 km). When we
on the Putucu sit 10 are on the move constantly - 14 coaches on the
Serpentines. Nevertheless, unfortunately, the subject Environment
protection in the Machu Picchu is really a very acute subject. Thus,
for example, a Japanese university has ascertained in 2001 with investigations
that at the time at that time the west side of the Machu Picchu at
the unbelievable speed slips off from 1 cm per Monatam! If stop is
not offered to the heavy tourist use the danger soon absolutely insists
that Machu Picchu slips off sometime simply in the valley! And visitors
itself from comfort by coaches allow to high ride in a coach do not
contribute absolutely to the relaxation of the situation. |
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Rainy season: The alarm clock
rings at 03:45 o'clock and I torment myself with iron one for the
sake of from the bed. Immediately Nadine sends me outward before the
door to see whether it still rains (the whole night had rained by
violently). It does not rain and thus to breakfasts we briefly and
pack our seven things. Even as we are ready to go we hear all
at once again this drum the raindrop on the roof. It rains again namely
so strongly that we decide to wait one more day and creep away to
us again in our bed. The rainy season Has just started and thus it
rains more or less continuously the whole day. In hope that it tomorrow
absolutely again better weather gives we spend a comfortable day in
the Hostel and I use the time around a few reports again into English
to translated. |
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Machu Picchu: The next morning as us the alarm clock
at 3:40 o'clock from the deep sleep tears we hear the light one again
drum on the roof. Only today, nevertheless, our ticket is valid and
thus we get on the way, nevertheless, together with our room neighbours,
however, as us around 04:30h start to run it does not rain. Machu
Picchu lies on a ridge and thus we are allowed first tightly uphill,
before we stand faster than expected already around 05:30h before
the gate. However, thus we are then also one of the first as the gates
to the lost Inca's town half an hour later are opened. Machu Picchu
is called, by the way, "big mountain" on Quechua, the language of
the Incas. |
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The discovery of Machu Picchu: Anyhow
Machu Picchu was overlooked by the Spaniards and thus the Inca's town
falls into oblivion, before it was discovered in 1911 by the American
historian Hiram Bingham again. Originally already from thick primeval
forest overgrown one succeeded in releasing Hiram Bingham and his
team the arrangement from 1912 to 1915 from the jungle. Although there
several studies about Machu Picchu is the knowledge about the old
Inca's town remains rather vague. Some historians suppose that Machu
Picchu an important religious centre was during other historians
think that the town at the moment as the Spaniards came was already
unoccupied. |
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A new Wonder of the World: The appointment
one of the new Wonders of the World were moved in the Machu Picchu
directly in cash coin and thus the entry prices are raised directly
after the appointment this year of 20, - € on 30, - €. However, this
will not remain absolutely the end of the flagpole then we have already
heard rumours about a wide price increase. |
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Where they are then: A giant storm of people and a
big tourist groups ordinarily rules in the Machu Picchu follows of
the others, however, we are the first half an hour alone attached! |
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Quiet viewpoint: On the way to the Huayna
Picchu there is still a small mountain, the Huchuy Huayna Picchu,
and there just nebulous clouds in gather are we make the short excursion.
What Good decision which during Huayna Picchu have hidden behind thick
clouds we from the small premountain a marvellous fading on from fog
patches and clouds pass through the Inca's town. There all the others
are to be come eagerly on the Huayna Picchu (although he completely
is in the clouds) we can enjoy the view here completely alone! |
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Huayna Picchu: Huayna Picchu, ("small mountain" on
Quechua) is at the southern end of the arrangement situated summits
from which one has a marvellous overview. At least here became the
visitors pay on 400 visitors per day limited and controlled groups
are excluded from it presumably. There it just rains we have a look
first at the lunar temple before we from the back on the Huayna Picchu
rise. Because the Huayna Picchu becomes very precipitous at the end
lead breathtaking stair, and leaders the last metres does not have
a good head for heights up to the summit and each should consider
twice whether he wants here. Briefly below the summit still there
lie the ruins of some houses and terraces whose dramatic situation
is absolutely impressive. |
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Magnificent view: The view of the Huayna
Picchu down on Machu Picchu is magnificent and we come just on time
as the sun out comes around them in full trains in our lunchbreak
to be able to enjoy. |
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Ah... here they are: On top on the Huaya
Picchu we hit after an absolutely quiet morning then at last, nevertheless,
on the tourist masses. To devise hardly what would be up here loose
there would not be the limit on 400 visitors per day! |
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Forbidden bottles! On the ticket as well
as on signs at the entrance the visitor is pointed out to the fact
that drinks in "disposable bottles forbade strictly" are and
merely Recyclable bottler in the visit of the Machu Picchu are permitted.
Ordinarily we see those regulate a little more laxly (nevertheless,
we have thrown in our whole life still no plastic bottles simply in
the bushes), however, this time we obey well the instruction and take
merely our thermos bottle. Then, nevertheless, attached we find out
that we apparently the only ones are itself to the disposable bottles
forbade have held and think to us merely that the others were a little
more courageous just than us. Then something are nibbled at we, nevertheless,
as the supervisors in her controlling post at the entrance to the
Huayna Picchu water and coke in disposable bottles, of course for
the 5-fold normal price, sell. When we the guards on it appeal mine
to them them would only make this because soon Christmas would be!
A silly excuse could not really have occurred to them! |
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Holy stone: The holy stone is a gigantic stone record
shortly before the entrance to the Huayna Picchu and many tourists
lie down level against them. When we just this are is a group Sikh
(Sikhismus is an Indian religion and a mixture of Hiduismus (ideas
of karma, meditation) and Islam (Monotheism)). The Sikhs lie down
also level by the holy stone and come out of the dream about his energy
hardly more. |
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Mysterious bowls: Unfortunately, only very
little knowledge has been preserved about the Incas, her culture and
her religion and many theories are at most courageous speculations
like the explanations of the bowls point. In some of the houses see
we flatten struck bowls from the ground and the explanations of the
guides about her use have absolutely a little bit adventurous in themselves:
1.: However, grain mortars (in addition are too level they). 2.: Herbal
spot stones (in principle still too level). 3.: To observe mirror
around the sun (then, however, the houses can have had no roofs what
was very uncomfortable in winter and in the rainy season absolutely).
4.: The earthquake early warning systems which were observed by 2
men and if it light waves on the water gave then this should have
been a sign for the first seismic waves (at least a courageous creative
idea). |
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Breathtaking mountain world: Though the
ruins of Machu Pichu are not bad, however, in principle not exceptionally
well-preserved. Nevertheless, for us are not the ruins separate her
spectacular situation in the middle on a ridge especially amusing.
Particularly from the Huayna Picchu (here it goes about 600 m precipitously
downhill in the valley of the Urumbaba of river here several loops
makes) one has a magnificent fading on the surrounding mountain world
with theirs precipitous with thick primeval forest covered to slopes.
In particular as a thunderstorm passes everything looks much more
breathtaking still and we are hardly able to stop watching! |
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Inca bridge: Though the Inca's bridge is not already
bad, however, much more impressively we find next meanwhile with
bushes to become overgrown, away through the middle of the cliff face
through. I mean the thin green stiff in the cliff face in background!
Absolutely nothing for people with fear of heights:-) |
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The Inca Empire: According to a legend (there is one
more) there should have appeared Mánco Capac, the first Inca,
and his sisters, created by the sun, from the Lake Titicaca.
With his small trunk Mánco Capac moved in the region of Cusco where
they founded the town. The next generation were occupied predominantly
with discussions with her neighbours. The big turn came as a Pachacuti
in 1538, finally, the odious Chanca defeated, crowned itself to the
Incaking and with it started to extend the borders of the empire.
The enlargement of the Inca's empire was continued by his son Topa
Inca to it, finally, his gigantic magnitudes reached. Merely
the Mapuche in Chile could not overcome the Incas (and also the Spaniards)
(this remained a few hundred years later of the Chilean army they
leave after the war by Bolivia and Peru had won). However, faster
than the Inca's empire under Pachacuit and his son Topa Inca had grown
it was smashed no hundred years later with the arrival of the Spanish
Conquisatores in 1532 also again. |
|
The Inca culture: The Inca's society based on the
far developed technologies in the production of textiles, buildings,
metal work and ceramics. Llama, alpaca and dog were domesticated for
a long time and grain, maize and potatoes was grown on terraces invested
in steep mountains. For emergency times food memories were furnished
and the method of the conservation of potatoes was dehydrogenating
(we have already eaten 3x dehydrogenated potatoes, however, anyhow
they do not get on with our stomachs). For the protection of the economic
security were valid limited personality rights and thus nobody might
leave his residential place and job. The family was more important
than the individual and the families were summarised into groups of
10, 100, 500, in 1000, 10000 and 40000 with a responsible leader.
As a planned economy statistical information presumably played a big
role around the food production to steer. To the maintenance of the
communication the Inca's stone ways about the couriers have put
on on foot fast messages could advance. While the title of the Incaking
paled was, all the other post of the Incas was openly for the most
gifted ones in each case, so that no stiff box system has developed.
As already the Tiwanaku culture also revered the Incas the sun whose
deputy on earth was the Inca's king. As well as many other cultures
ordered so also the Incas of building specially established for
astronomical investigations (temple). |
|
The end of the Incas: The setting of the
Inca's empire came fast and unexpectedly: in the death of the Inca
Huayna the Incareich of the today's south of Colombia reached till
the middle of Chile. During the Huáscar born in Cusco the south with
Cusco as a capital agreed his half-brother Atahualpa should govern
the north around Quito. Around the Alleinherrschaft a civil war from
the Atahualpa broke in 1932, finally, for itself decided. Atahualpa
marched just with his 40000 - to 80000 strong armies in the direction
of south as him during a rest with Cajamarca in November, 1532 on
179 mounted Spanish Conquisatores with her leaders Pizarro meets.
When Atahualpa comes the next day from his resting place situated
with thermal springs with 6000 faithful to the main square of Cajamarc
(which he had instructed to the Spaniards as a resting place) the
last hour of the Inca's empire has hit. Atahualpa throws a Bible handed
by the Spaniards on the ground what the Spaniards as an occasion the
Incas take to attack. From the riders and the cannons obviously stunnedly
the Incas start in panic the escape (during which they should have
simply upset even a 2-m-thick poor according to guide). 7000 Incas
are massacred by the Spaniards and the Inca's king Atahualpa is arrested
(what the other 33000 - 73000 Inca soldiers have made we do not know).
Originally his release was promised to the Inkaking if a certain space
was filled once with gold and twice with silver. Many Inca's treasures
from Cusco were brought and in summer, 1533 the ransom was together.
The Spaniards allowed to melt the whole art treasures (a total of
6000 kg of gold and 12,000 kg of silver) and convicted Atahualpa in
26. July in 1533, nevertheless, to the death. Though there were still
some less appreciable uprisings during the following years, however,
with the case of Atahualpa also there fell the Inca's empire.
To me it hard falls to understand that just 179 mounted Spaniards
with a few cannons (presumably more noise and smoke has produced than
seriously damage to arrange) it created ones have to throw down in
only one battle the whole Inca's empire (at that time possibly as
largely as France, Italy, Switzerland and all Benelux states together).
The Spaniards were absolutely war-technically seen consider, however,
this was the Russian army in Afghanistan and the US Army in Vietnam
always and, nevertheless, had to admit them after many years her defeat.
As said for me the setting of the Incas remains with him the Incas
disappear of the knowledge about many things of her culture a riddle
(with many things concerning there are big speculations and in the
different springs many things are shown differently. Our sources of
information were Lonely Planet: Peru and Footprint: Southamerika handbook).
Also Nadine has here thus her supposition and thus she states stubbornly
that the Inca's society was absolutely a slaves societyt. How else,
otherwise, they could have established in so short time so many gigantic
buildings. Moreover, it would be a good explanation of it that a handful
of Spaniards the gigantic Inca's army has defeated, because the slaves
no desire had to fight and were glad to have been released!
|
Journey home: From Aguas Calientes
we take the direct way on the road rails from direction Cusco. Ordinarily
approach us only 28 km on the road rails, however, after 5 hours and
21 kilometres stops in the flowing out rain of the rail carriages
of the section workers and the drivers offers us to us to take. We
pass 2 controlling posts and every time the distance workers do not
hide us fast under a few jackets with it we are seen. We are glad
not only about the entrainment gigantically, but also that there here
in the Tourist region apparently, nevertheless, people is to one from
pure friendliness and not from financial interest help. However, unfortunately,
there we have been glad too early then after some kilometres the distance
workers demand all at once money. We do not want to be impolite and
give her employer a little bit exact nevertheless so are also the
distance workers of the opinion that foreigners there are to be excluded.
Because we have given them what to them not enough was we have
given without further ado (we them more than the local train ticket!)
on open distance after about 10 km again put out! The place with km
82 of from us could have taken a minibus we already leave behind ourselves
and now thus we must still run about 6-7 km to Ollantaytambo (we have
saved nothing and have paid for the entrainment of the rail workers
even more than the minibus would have cost). Nevertheless, on the
way we hit on a very nice Peruvian farmer who is just on the way to
her corn field. She can hardly believe it that we have run almost
the whole way from Aguas Calientes up to here (from her we find out
that the locals for the train distance just 1, - € pay). She is so
enthusiastically from the fact that we want to cycle from Cusco by
the bicycle to Lima and spend the night in the tent that she spontaneously
in her corn field jumps to get a few corncobs to us. While we on her
return wait an older Peruvian presumably does not go past and there
they maize is sure whether we here want to steal she stops so long
with us to them, finally sees that the field owner gets maize for
us. Later we reach three quarters of an hour, finally, Ollantaytambo
and after a short one go in a minibus and a longer coach journey we
are at nightfall, finally, again in Cusco.
|
235. Weekly report 26.11. - 02/12/2007
Route: Cusco, Rio Apurimac, Abancay, Andahuaylash |
|
Quick once more...: Actually,
I wanted only sometimes fast on the Internet around an on-line new
health insurance to conclude (with an English assurance there the
German ones me do not want any more there I already abroad am). I
have filled just everything, have given my credit card data and have
got the info that checking the bank data will last about 2 minutes
when all at once the Internet connection breaks down in completely
Cusco! There lasts about 1 hour, until the connection has functioned
again, however whether the insurance end has clapped I do not know
of course. I send a mail got, nevertheless, so fast no answer to the
assurance, so that I call for safety's sake by Skype. The completion
of the contract has not clapped and the nice woman has hardly already
said this the connection breaks down again briefly (this time, however,
only quite briefly). So I take out the policy on-line once more, transfers
successfully my bank data. Now I want to shift only briefly money
between my both accounts, however, makes for any reason a mistake
with the Identifyerer and after I have made 2x my on-line access is
blocked. O.k. then also at the bank call, Nevertheless, even as I,
besides am with the cashiers my account again freizuschalten my Skype
credit is empty (the connection with the bank is substantially more
expensive than a normal connection) and our conversation is finished.
Though I try to charge fast still with Nadine our credit, nevertheless,
this time resolves to themselves to check Paypal our by which the
process should last about one week! Meanwhile we have already irritated
afternoon and something now, nevertheless, Nadine sees that we remain
better one more day and thus we check, although our packed bikes already
in the inner courtyard answer again in the Hostel. By the whole action
we also have rausgefunden that our map reading device is defective
and thus we spend the remaining afternoon at the various markets in
Cusco in search of substitute, until we make a find, finally, in an
electric store. The only ones itself about my Dussligkeit please really
are Ulrike and José, an in German Spanish Ralderpärchen which live
with us in the same Hostel, because thus we have to exchange over
again one day around travel experiences. Although we some days in
Cusco, the tourist capital of South America with his museums, churches,
little lanes Kopfsteinplflaster and the nice "Plaza of the Armas"
were we have visited no museum and no church and also have taken no
photo of the town, nevertheless, we were occupied too much with other
things (repair, nice talks with other travellers...). |
|
Rio Apurimac: From Cusco (2400m) from it goes on tarred
street more than two smaller passports, finally, from 3660 m to down
to Rio Apurimac on 1900 m. Rio Apurimac is the source river of the
Amazon. From a few American canoeists we have belonged that Rio Apurimac
should be one of the best white-water rivers of the world (WW II-IV)
and is absolutely brilliant in particular of the "Black of canyon".
Though the boys assure us that one is able to do the difficult places
everybody well umtragen, however because the rainy season has already
started we renounce for safety's sake another paddle adventure there
the danger insists that it rains in a side valley so strongly that
the river all at once unexpectedly rises (although we have beaming
sunshine) and thus very sudden become substantially more demanding
and more dangerous than our paddle arts is good. We come about evening
on the river and as in the confirmation we will be based all
at once from a really violent thunderstorm with so strong storm gusts
with bend even a tent pole, surprises. But we are still young and
Rio Apurimac will not already run away to us. |
|
Tough ascents: Although the rainy season
has already started we could be persuaded by Ulrike and Jose, nevertheless,
to try the route through the Andes to the north. The height profile
of the distance looks out like the heart frequency curve with the
ECG. The street leads from the Andes summits of more than 4000 m every
time again down in the river valleys on 1800 m before it immediately
again about the next mountain range goes. The only level pieces are
the short theoretical moment on the passports and in the valleys if
one of rise on departure changes and vice versa. It looks thus as
if we had found the most mountainous stretching of the world! |
|
Cultivation of potatoes: From Peru the potato has
conquered the world and also even today the potato seems to be here
in the Andes the mostly tilled vegetables. Even in the Steilhängen
on just 4000 m we still see potato fields from the Peruvians being
managed in laborious manual labour. Now and again tractors) the fields
also help from oxen pulled wooden ploughs (in the more level areas
even every now and then to plough, however, mostly the Peruvians and
female Peruvians stand in her coloured traditional clothes with a
heel in the mountains and dig up the fields. Although there just 4000
different potato kinds is the potato immernoch counts as food of the
poor Andes Indians and in the restaurants rice is mostly served. |
|
Cemetery with view: Absolutely one of the
cemeteries with one of the nicest views we have seen on our trip. |
|
Seńor, Amigo and Gringo: Seńor, Amigo and
Gringo are three kinds in which we are ordinarily appealed." Seńor"
what mostly respect expresses, unfortunately, it is used in the least
one. From "Amigo" there are two versions. The friendly version and
deferential one, even if less formal version of Seńor. However, unfortunately,
"Amigo" is used by the employees of Hostels, travel agencies, tour
suppliers and restaurants, one at the more tourist places constantly
appeal around you to a room, a lunch or a tour to overcharged to prices
untercheer. The form most impolite by far of the address is "Gringo".
Though we could find no exact translation, has said, however, as Nadine
in Bolivia sometimes that here a lot of Gringos were it was reprimanded
by the locals immediately that it would be very impolite somebody
as a Gringo to call and that it concerns "Extranjeros" (foreigner).
Thus we were demanded in Bolivia even sometimes as "a Gringos" and
from a man he was so got drunk that he could hardly stand more (he
was also reprimanded immediately by his friend). Nevertheless, here
in Peru the address "Gringo" is our everyday companion. Even small
stoppers yet are not able to properly run call us in such a way. Although
here hear going past in the central Andes presumably up to a few cyclists
hardly tourists we several times daily the call "Gringo dame plata!"
(Freely translates: "Rich idiot give me money!". However, we also
think that many of the easy Andes farmers do not know at all that
"Gringo" is an unfriendly word, because often they call it to us beaming
with delight, with luminous eyes and ecstatically waving behind). |
|
The descendants of the Incas: Peru is also
called with pleasure Egypt of the Andes, however, as well as already
in Egypt has also been left in Peru not a lot from the former shine
and Gloria. Although Peru was in 2002 the strongest economy in South
America and the income is about twice as high in Peru like in neighbouring
Bolivia poverty seems to be here a big problem. Here presumably because
of the relative prosperity of the country (also thanks of the tourism"
food is rather expensive (1 l of milk 0.7 €, cheese cheapest 1 kg
4, - € are more expensive, e.g., than in New Zealand!) . We find it
expensive and it is mysterious to us as just the South American Indians
of the Andes live those on her small agriculture and dispose of nearly
no income, can survive here. The Routa 3 is a grit runway bad now
and again and, nevertheless, the lifeline of the central Andes. Where
have the paved streets of the Incas remained? Also from the nice water
canals we in the Machu Picchu have seen no track is to be seen in
the easier villages. Only in the morning in some villages there is
or evening water or the water bubbles somewhere of the rock, and instead
of in a nice watering place it lands in a deep mud puddle at the same
time as a mosquito's hotbed serves. Particularly we are concerned
as us the houses many villagers see in those spending her life. We
see the mucky grounds (which are rather slushy with rain) very
frequent and in a village on 3000 m many houses from a few boards
are cobbled together and the scratches between the Holsstämmen are
so big that one can last laxly with the arm in the hut. I would not
like to fancy at all as uncomfortable it is here in winter or with
a thunderstorm. Although Bolivia is much poorer as said we have never
seen there a such poverty. We had rather the feeling that the Bolivians
though in very easy relations, however, still relatively happily and
contently live. Also around the medical care it seems to be ordered
in Peru substantially worse than in Bolivia. While we have never seen
people with missing teeth there them all (also in the entlegensten
villages) artificial teeth in Bolivia, for example have nearly toothless
older South American Indians are here rather the normal case. Maybe
the reason that one to us lies in the apparent stronger poverty of
the rural population several times daily "Dame plata" behind never
shouts (a little bit we in Peru have belonged). Actually, the culture
in Bolivia and in Peru (at least here in the Andes) is the same one
and thus we can understand the crass differences only hard. Absolutely
quite innocently in the crass income imbalance is not also the tourism
which comes in the final effect only of one small well-to-do means
and upper class too good ones (apart from the international tourism
enterprises from overseas). The easy Peruvian hardly profits from
many international money that in the country flows out. In the contrast
his relative poverty is made clear to him just over and over again.
Presumably it went out Peru just as Ladakh in Northern India. . When
it was opened about 25 years ago for the tourism the Norwegian scientist
Helen Norberg one of the villagers asked for the poorest house in
the village. The man answered to her that there was no poverty here
in the village. They all last well-to-do. Some years later, the tourism
had made clear the western prosperity to the Ladakhis, the same man
comes up to Helen Norberg and asks them desperately: "Helena please
helf we, we are so poor!" We hope this destiny saved that at least
to the Bolivians remains. |
|
236. Weekly report 03.11. - 09/12/2007
Route: Cincheros, Ayacucho, Huanta |
|
Hard stages: The distance of Cusco from to Ayacucho
was anything but light! On 606 km we might cycle a total of 10,100
metres height uphill. The street led us constantly from a river valley
situated on about 1800 m about up to 4250-m-high passports down in
the next river valley and again about the next passport. Up to the
first 200 km and a small interpiece of maybe 10 km we had to do it
with grit runway here and there was so bad that we could sometimes
cycle ourselves downhill just 7 km in one hour. Nevertheless, luckily
we had up to two evening thunderstorms no rain and also the wind has
left alone us more or less. However, with headwind and rain this would
have become with certainty the hardest Radeletappe on our trip. |
|
Road duty: Then the partly bad
grit distance has also demanded her road duty.
No, with road duty I do not mean the Peruvians who fill in armed a
blow hole with earth and then with the barrow the street with a barrow
and a shovel block off around from all coming through cars to require
Lkws and penalties money; bicycles cost here because nothing. With
road duty I mean the countless loose spokes and a broken spoke in
Nadines back wheel (exactly this that she had got in Northern Argentina
new and which I had the last week Cusco over again in a bicycle store
to the postcentred!) as well as a broken carrier, also with Nadine.
I could repair the carrier scantily with a cable binder and then allow
to weld in Ayacucho with a very nice art locksmith again. |
|
Ayacucho: Ayacucho is praised
as the second-nicest town of Peru (to Cusco), and also does all credit
to her name. A very nice Plaza de Armas, one of the big triumphal
curves, many churches from the Kolonialszeiten and many Konolialbauten
make the town a small treasure chest. Nevertheless, in contrast to
Cusco Ayacucho is hardly visited by foreign tourists what is also
due to the fact absolutely that the town was closed during the active
times of the "luminous path" for foreigners. There are Peruvian tourists,
nevertheless, richly. We have found a very nice Hostel and the view
of our breakfast place on the roof terrace was really very nice. |
|
Sendero Luminoso: The maoistische revolutionary
movement Sendero Luminoso ("Luminous path") originated here at the
university of Ayacucho in the 1970th and was fed by the ideas of professor
Abimael Guzmán. Later developed of the Sendero Luminoso, supported
by the highland South American Indians, to an armed guerrilla warfare
organisation it wanted to overthrow the government with deadly political,
economic and social riots. The hot phase with the murder were financed
by mayors and political leaders in remote towns, the Massakrierung
of uncooperative villagers, with bomb attempts on police stations
and power stations as well as with destructions of projects from the
government and the church, was in the 80th. The reactions of the government
were as crude and in the so resulted civil war 40000 died or disappeared
approximate - 60000 Peruvians (predominantly from the central highland).
When Abimael Guzmán was caught in 1992 and was condemned to a lifelong
prison punishment the movement broke down bit by bit. |
|
Cow's country and goat country: As well
as we uphill and downhill cycle we also change constantly between
cow's country and nanny goat country to and fro. Because there in
the region round the passports thanks to enough rains green pastures
is here we hit by the aerial heights always on many cows (and sheep).
The further we, nevertheless, in the valleys come down the more drily
and more dusty it becomes, until we have, finally, nearly even thorn
undergrowth and cacti round ourselves: Nanny goat country! For us
as a middle European it is too dry in nanny goat country, dusty and
hot (more than 30°C) and we try to come over and over again as fast
as possible high to the cow's country (nicely chilly, even if sometimes
light night frost). Another disadvantage of nanny goat country are
many sandy aviation which there is here. From many stings the sandy
aviation our legs look out as if we chicken pox would have. The sting
places look out, unfortunately, not only thus like with chicken pox
they separate itch in particular with me still for weeks. By our constant
mountain journey and driving downhill we also change constantly from
a climate zone in another and thus we feel than we would cycle constantly
from the sauna in the fridge, only to land shortly after again in
the sauna. |
|
237. Weekly report 10.12. - 16/12/2007
Route: Huancayo, Jauja, Cerro de Pasco, Huanuco |
|
Nice valley and Falk: From Ayacucho we follow a nice
drily river valley slowly uphill. Though it goes by no means level,
however, at least we must cross no gigantic mountains, even if many
sandy aviation it here below gives us almost eat up. In the late afternoon
we meet on Falk a German motorcyclist who also does not feel Peru
as soooo dangerously (almost all the other cyclists like us we hit
spend the night from "security reasons" almost exclusively in Hostels,
in public facilities (Train, churches...) or families, and when we
travelled around 2 hours talking in the road edge stood we decide
that it would be presumably easier here of our tents to hit and to
spend the night together here. Said done and thus Martin and Falk
still sit half a night with absolutely clear star sky outdoors around
travel experiences to exchange. |
|
Pobre Gringita: Michi, one of our friends from castle Lim,
has sent us by email the origin of the word Gringo. Therefore, the
word Gringo originated during the Mexican American war. The Americans
carried green (green) uniforms and were asked by the Mexicans to go
home "green go". The debate from "ee" resembles rather "i" and thus
became from it Gringo! According to another definition arises the
word of the name "griego" (Greek), however, I have never heard what
of Greeks in South America. Even if is absolutely clear just under
gebildeteren and wealthier that Gringo is a very contemptuous name
for white foreigners, this is not presumably known to many easier
country dwellers or small children. Once, we fill in just our water
bottles in a small village, an older woman (absolutely 70) joins to
us to talk to us. When she gets to know that we by our bicycles about
the next passport situated on 4000 m want, At night "have to sleep
in our tent and cook our food themselves again with our petrol cooker
she looks at Nadine quite compassionately and means from the deepest
hearts: "Pobre Gringita". Freely into German translated would mean
this "poor small Dinilein (or Nadinechen)". However, mostly the friendly
intention of Gringo is not so evident for us completely and thus a
belonging serving of equanimity often is necessarily around the countless
Gringo shouts take calmly (mostly absolutely more than 200 per day) |
|
Hot iron: Travelling can be very demanding and thus
we also want to position ourselves on our Internet site
to the difficult things to us on our trip meet, even if it would be
easier absolutely to themselves before it to press! We were invited
by Juan, a football trainer and his family in Jauja to the dinner.
During the entertainment means Juan who has already coached a Peruvian
football team in Sweden that, nevertheless, the Germans would be very
racist. We were confronted with the subject Racism already on occasion
on our trip and thus we ask Juan what he under racism understands.
Together with his daughter who has her teacher also erkärt that Germans
would be racist, we come to a definition them says that racism is
if somebody is worse treated on grounds of his descent or race. As
examples of racism terms of abuse were called or if somebody must
pay a raised price, for called reasons. According to this definition
I could at least calm Juan that Germany would be racist not significantly.
Has never belonged because from a case where somebody had to pay more
because he foreigner is and terms of abuse there is absolutely, nevertheless
I can hardly remember to have seen personally. Now we report Juan
about our experiences in Peru where terms of abuse (Gringo calls)
and suddenly exploding prices to our everyday life belong. Daily we
agree absolutely in at least 50x Gringo or "Gringo born with money"
hinterhergerufen and the Schummeleien with the shopping we also experience
almost every day. To Juans definition Peru would be very racist, however,
now Juan means that something else would be. OK. I ask him now whether
it for him racism would have been if he in Sweden more for his hotel
room would have had to pay because he Peruvian is answered what he
of course with, "yes". There follows a short pensive break and, finally,
we change the subject. Nevertheless, for us the subject was not finished
yet so fast and thus we spend the next days with it for hours about
the subject Racism to think. Why it is a racism if a light membranous
European a swarthy South American worse, however, treats not vice
versa!? Why it is a racism if a "wise man" (even if he is very poor)
a "black" millionnaire swindles, while it if a "poor black" a "white
millionnaire" hard over the ear lashes out absolutely OK. or even
compensatory justice is?! Believe the problem lies in it that the
word Racism is often misunderstood and is used. The real subject is
not because a racism separate discrimination. Discrimination is for
us if somebody for which reasons also worse and worse is treated than
someone else or is disadvantaged. Thus there is discrimination against
foreigners, women, children, homosexual, sick people, old people...
(the list would let presumably forever continued). The reasons for
discrimination are presumably as varied, however, completely in front
including are absolutely envy, fear, loathing, misinformation, manipulation
and ignorance. Merely if the discrimination on the race theory of
Charles Darwin concerns reasonably it to itself, nevertheless, around
racism. However, nevertheless, mostly the reason for the discrimination
is purely and simply pure envy. Faith that also many "neo-Nazis"
in principle rather from envy (the foreigner is better it than me!)
act then from Miss-interpreted race-theoretical attempts (even if
these are maybe pushed forward!). At last we must find out that what
is often called racism, actually, rather envy reasonable discrimination
is what makes, nevertheless, no appreciable difference for the affected
person (as for example to us here in Peru) in the feeling (even if
it is by definition a gigantic difference!) . Nevertheless, interestingly
we have the feeling that the distinctive envy rules here rather with
the wealthier and empires. Most intensely we had the feeling with
an extremely rich Estanciabesitzer in Uruguay. He has called us pejorative
rich affluent children of the 1st world they would have no other worries
and could think to themselves thus around protection of animals. He,
however, as a citizen of the 3rd world, would have there quite different
worries. Well, the good man was absolutely a multiple millionnaire!!! |
|
Mining town: We are already 3 days to a marvellous
river followed very much to paddle would have invited and we were
already to be inserted in considering again a small spin with our
Packrafts as us, finally, to La Oroya have come. La Oroya is the Peruvian
centre for the dismantling of metals and presumably the dirtiest place
we on our trip have seen. Only from wearing out we have got headaches
and difficulty in breathing and when the next morning a train with
a gigantic tank with the label "Arsenic" has driven past us we left
more than gladly our boats in the stack bags. Nevertheless, in principle
the mining seems to be very tolerable, because nobody has dug out
the Eisenbahnwagons half buried by a landslide. |
|
Attention skunk: With skunk I do not
mean of course Nadine, nevertheless, we try to wash "almost" every
evening before going to bed. Sometimes, nevertheless, with water shortage
or with too adverse weather conditions this remains on the distance,
so that we smell mouldy then presumably already a little! |
|
"No Mataras":" You should not
kill" is absolutely one of the common religious principles of all
world religions, however, no religious principle is despised so. Mostly
the people invent simply any reason why one in this or that situation
may however kill. As well as also in the other South American countries
so also ask in Peru the auto, coach and truck driver for the protection
of the various ecclesiastical patron saints, however, on the street
what becomes raced the stuff holds. Curve reaping belongs here apparently
to the good tone and instead of the brake simply becomes to use with
aggressive Huperei the way "freigeblasen". It is worth the right of
the stronger one. The fact that to one a fully occupied coach
with creaky tyres on a bendy mountain distance on own track meets,
unfortunately, is no rarity and thus it is no miracle that the street
edges with the crosses of the had a fatal accident ones are lined.
Though the relatives of these accident victims have summed up it with
the simple admonition to Christian basic values, however, interest
does, unfortunately, nobody. |
|
Laundry: As well as already in India popular places
are to be washed so also here in Peru rivers around his laundry. If
the water was not already from the chemicals of the mines and from
the oil of the cars which are washed in the river, at least the detergent
the mountain water clear once would be completely contaminated undrinkable
make. |
|
Thunderstorms: The rainy season is steady
in the advance and meanwhile immense thunderstorms circle, actually,
constantly round us. Mostly we have luck and we come through either
still fast before the pelting rain, or it has just stopped as us come.
Nevertheless, every now and then we also land in the middle in it
and thus a thunderstorm on 4000 m is already impress. One is present
virtually in the middle in it instead of only. |
|
238. Weekly report 17.12. - 23/12/2007
Route: Huanuco, La union, Huaraz |
|
Radiointerview: In Huanuco we lay half a rest day one around
a radiointerview with hr1 to take up. From all radiointerviews we
up to now with hr1 have made up to now this was by far in most harmonious
(in view of organisation, contact and interview), what Nadine even
spontaneously to the comment: ""Susanne does not come from hr1, or?
Nevertheless, it comes directly from the sky!" has arranged. |
|
Temple of the crossed hands: Before the
gates of Huanuco lies the "temple of the crossed hands", named after
are to be seen in natural size in tone to burnt hands there in the
main temple. The crossed hands were presumably burnt with about 4000
years! |
|
Kotosch culture: The temple arrangement became from
the Kotosch, one of the oldest Andes cultures built. Unfortunately,
nearly nothing is known by the life and the culture of the Kotosch.
Especially impressively I find the plans of the buildings round the
temple lying. The abgespaceten forms can have arisen absolutely easily
of the feather of a modern designer. |
|
Election campeign: This electoral advertisement
does not mean that shovels forbidden should belong and be bought,
instead, to excavator, but that who work wants this party should choose
and accordingly should make his cross. Beside the party programme
"Work" (shovels) there are also the party programmes "Environment"
(tree), "food" (soup pot) and "strength" (lion). The symbols are also
not hopefully illustrated on the electoral slips of paper, because
that would however question the official Alphabethenquote of 90% in
Peru. |
|
Stair with drainage: With it this mucky
stair with a shower simply weggewaschen does not become a water channel
covered with a stone was inserted in the middle. |
|
Pill turner's beetle: Here in the Peruvian
Andes we have discovered all at once pill turner's beetle. The beetles
run backward and, besides, curl up a dung ball before (or behind)
here. Once I have seen two beetles having rolled together a dung ball.
While I me to take photos angepirscht has ran suddenly only of her
and then the other beetle in different direction of the dung ball
away and flew away, finally. There I sat now with my camera and a
desolate dung ball. |
|
Road duty part II: The hard distance demands furthermore
her tribute and after an other broken spoke with Nadine now Martin's
cog is in it. After 60,000 km both Lowrider connections (front wheel
carrier) break. Thus break so probably 5 mm of high-grade steel record
and 6 mm of high-grade steel screw!!! On the photo we try just the
uncompleted screw from the frame rauszubohren. First we have
still tried to cut open to turn out a mother in order the screw, however,
after several died away nuts because of a too big electrode in the
welding apparatus and unite Nearly to cardiac infarctions of Martin
his aluminium frames saw already melt, finally, we change to the Aufbohrmethode.
Also here again several Nearly cardiac infarctions after the mechanic
only with a too big drill and then with a dull drill my front wheel
fork maltreats. At last the mechanic buys a new drill with the old
screw succeeds more or less rauszubohren. With expand of the hole,
nevertheless, the drill breaks off. Sometime I succeed the mechanic
in his working fury the hole gigantic wants to expand to brake and
to screw my screw! The fact that by the whole action my front wheel
fork was not destroyed completely is, actually, a small miracle! Finally,
again my back wheel rim opens shortly before Huaraz from the inside.
Because of many spoke breaks we want to have with Nadines of new Hinterradfelg
because of worse einspeicharbeit we this sometimes, nevertheless try
to let weld the rim. |
|
Mining: The mountains of Peru
are rich in mineral resources and everywhere we hit on mines. However,
beside the professional mines there are still many small mines in
those the mine workers still we in the century before last everything
in manual labour make. To the dismantling one of the coal which lies
like here on the Poto in layers in the mountain the mine workers also
set out even today with top heel and shovel and go connect the coal
with barrow from the mountain! The tunnels themselves are still supported
with wooden posts and there is electric light in the shafts just as
little like pneumatic hammer or helmets! |
|
Mines: Quite differently the
big mines in which at least officially working security is capitalised
work because. ("As the first security, as the second quality and then
production"). Like the reality looks we can only suppose with the
help of the train carriages with arsenic and with the help of the
hard contaminated rivers, nevertheless! |
|
Snow: We spend the night on about 4800 m above the
Abra Yanashalla of passport on in the evening already some snow lay.
Overnight, nevertheless, it starts to be snowing violently and although
Nadine at night twice the snow of the tent knocks everything is buried
in the morning again thickly under snow! |
|
Almost white Christmas: We are gerademal
1000 km to the south of the equator and have here just summer!!! We
write 21.12.2007 and since Christmas 2003 in Jordan we have the first
Christmas almost white once more! If to us with pack of the bicycles
and the fingers do not diminish of the tent half we could became be
frostbitten the snowy scenery still even more enjoy! |
|
Hard stage: Our meanwhile zugeschneite grit runway
leads us further high in the mountains. Although it is not so precipitous
at all we must often push on the slippery subsoil our bicycles. Round
us raves a small blizzard and we ask around to us what the road description
"only in the big curve around the valley and then downhill to Huaraz"
should quite exactly mean. Behind every bend we hope for the big departure,
nevertheless, instead another increase follows after a short departure.
We presumably are somewhere between 4800 and 4900 metres height and
the thin height air, the bad street, the snow and the blizzard demand
everything of us! Finally, after 23 hard kilometres and 465 m of increase
we reach the expected departure thanks to big stones on the grit runway,
nevertheless, also is not so relaxing as expects. |
|
Hidden mountains: Nevertheless, in the
course of the day the weather slowly makes amends , we come
out of the snowy zone and every now and then we are able to do even
sporadically some of the mountain giants (a total of 50 mountains
more than 5700 m!) of the Cordilliera Blanca recognise. |
|
Finally, in Huaraz: After 25 days (besides,
1.5 rest days) we have mastered the 1500-km-long stage of Cusco to
Huaraz through the central Andes of Peru. 1000 km of it we have put
back on grit runway bad now and again. The street went constantly
uphill and downhill and thus we were allowed to scale a total of 20,000
metres height in the increase. The stage to our hardly loaded bicycles
in those so much it was especially hard has not broken like during
whole 60,000 km before. We want to recommend the distance to nobody,
but hardcore cyclist who can agree from mountains and bad grit runway
not enough and to which aggressive dogs and the omnipresent "Gringi
Gringo" calls come making no difference absolutely at her expense.
Nevertheless, the letzen kilometres to Huaraz on nice tar are one
true relief and after we will have found a very nice small Hostel
we here about Christmas first of all our wounds (or. of our bicycles)
leak which repair equipment again, our weekly reports make up, celebrate
oh and also some Christmas. The look in the Cordilliera Blannca is
over, by the way, from our Roomdoor! |
|
239. Weekly report 24.12. - 30/12/2007
Route: Huaraz, Caraz, canyon del Pato, Chimbote, Casma |
|
Christmas: Christmas was, whole as presumably also
at home, nevertheless much more stressful than expected. We have virtually
spent the whole day with it to write our weekly reports and our Christmas
letter and and send. Even to the traditional Weihnachtskaffe we were
not yet ready separate still sat sweating in the Internet cafe. Then,
nevertheless, in the evening we have just still got to go to a small
restaurant, before we have liked tiredly in our beds. We have spent
the Christmas Days also in Huaraz and most time with it uses the damages
to repair to our bicycles and some other pieces of equipment. Adventurously
the action in Martin was absolutely his back wheel rim torn from the
inside left. Though the welder did not want himself so surely to the
bicycle rim ranwagen, however, with much good coaxing he has however
tried it and as well as it looks the action seems to have succeeded! |
|
Clarification: Apparently the Peruvian tourism authority
has already recognised that the so-called "Gringo discount " is no
rarity. In a clarification campaign the Peruvians are asked from the
tourists to require the "correct price" and not to attack the "tourists".
In the tourist centres the campaign already seems to fruchten, because
the Peruvians in Puno, Cusco and Huarz were substantially friendlier
and more honest than in the remaining Peruvian Andes. |
|
Impressive camp site: Directly at the entrance
to the canyon del Pato have made the road builder in the first approach
the tunnel too near to the canyon, afterwards Presumably for stability
reasons they have dug an other tunnel a few metres farther in the
rock inside and thus the first tunnel for us offers a nearly perfect
overnight stay place. After some metres the tunnel is open because
to the canyon and thus we virtually sit like on a roofed platform
in the middle of the canyon. |
|
Canyon del Pato: The narrow canyon del Pato with his
precipitous cliff faces, to many tunnels and the river winding right
down at the bottom compensate us richly for the nevertheless 150-km-long
detour on our way to Casma. |
|
Energy fill up: The small housing development
in the stream power station below the canyon del Pato works with the
nice small houses and the palms like a small holiday's settlement.
Maybe the whole is here a test project of the Peruvian tourism association
under the motto: "Fill up just briefly energy"! |
|
Chilli: The valley below the
canyon del Pato is very fertile and thus we bump into richly agriculture.
Beside water melons, tomato, cotton, roses, asparagi, rice, strawberries,
maize, cabbage, and pumpkins it is grown here also Chilli. Then to
the dry one the pods are simply laid out in the sand. Because the
area is rather wild-like here, nevertheless there are many irrigation
canals the water of Rio Santa on the fields lead. In our guide Santa
had been advised against Raftingtouren on Rio, because he has got
dirty by many mines in the upper reaches very much. Nevertheless,
the agrarian industry seems no problem with it her fields are closed
with the toxic substances of the mine industry to water. |
|
Overnight stay with Charly: In Cusco we
have Sekiji, an email in he Willian about us has written a Japanese
pilgrim's eagle got to know and him to his friend Willian in Casma
has told. A few days later we got an email of Willian in he to us
has invited him in Casma to visit. Because our experiences with the
Peruvians were not so gratifying up to now completely we have resolved
to take the detour of about 200 km on ourselves and to make an excursion
after the south over again briefly. We had on the last kilo matrices
to Casma taut headwind in the Peruvian desert and came so later than
planned only against 17:30 on Sunday afternoon in Casma. What we before
did not know was that Willian is a journalist and works in principle
always in the evening. We have him I believe just on the way to the
work got and thus he brings us to his cousin Charly with we the night
can spend. Together with Charly and an other cousin we go in the evening
then on the runway. After a small strengthening in a baker's it goes
with Charlys jeep all over through the town, mostly, nevertheless,
we turn rounds around the Plaza de Armas. Peruvians hear music in
principle loving with pleasure very much loudly and although one of
the boxes has a loose contact and only partially functioned almost
the ears are chucked out to me behind. After a few rounds around the
Plaza we park the car and enjoy the fresh chill night breeze on a
park-bench on the Plaza, before Nadine and I at last dead tired (the
hard headwind day in the hot desert was really strenuous) fall on
our Isomatten. |
|
240. Weekly report 31.12. - 06/01/2007
Route: Casma, Chimbote, Trujillo |
|
Willian and his family: The next day we
are fetched at Willian and drive with the motorcycle taxi of Willian
cousin to the house of his parents where his oldest sister already
a tasty lunch for ourselves has cooked. There we did not want the
Willian the feeling has to have to feed to us we have not told him
immediately that we are vegetarians and thus one means to swim eyes
to and by as cooked in the soup the chicken legs and the tomato sauce
with tuna is prepared. We often are in catch-22 situations then if
we want to say on time that we vegetarian are this is called virtually
also that we expect that we feed become. If we can miss the optimum
time we afterwards also no more say that we are, actually, vegetarians,
because we do not want to injure our hosts. Thus it comes that consume
more chicken than during the last 15 years we here in Casma! Willian
has, by the way , another six brothers and sisters and thus we
spend an amusing afternoon with the family. |
|
Sylvester: The turn of the year
stands in a queue and Willian persuades to us him, nevertheless, here
in Casma to spend. Differently than with us where the old year is
dismissed, is celebrated in Peru, nevertheless, the arrival of the
new year. This means that the festivities at the turn of the year
from 31.12 on 01.01 do not take place separate only after midnight
take place. We spend the evening with Willian's aunts and because
we go to bed as a cyclist ordinarily at 8:00 o'clock, we are already
so tired shortly after 23:00 o'clock that we we back on the way to
Charly make to go to bed. We have come just with Charly as a Willian
a phone call agrees and puts out we today with a friend spend the
night where it before still a small New Year's Eve celebration gives.
So we pack up our seven things and set out over again, because we
think that we can lie down there after short hello for sleeping. But
as said the festivities go off in Peru only after midnight and thus
all sisters and the mother of Willian appear all at once. Although
the celebration, actually, in the small circle takes place music is
danced wildly too nothing but and only with effort I can escape before
it. Also she tries me to a glass of champagne or to a beer are to
be persuaded stubbornly, nevertheless, my champagne glass I can transmit
luckily to Nadine. Finally, completely exhausted we can withdraw at
03:00 o'clock in the morning for sleeping, however, next door the
festivities go on till 08:00 o'clock in the morning. When we get up
at 10:00 o'clock the teacher is still awake and wurschtelt in the
house around, however, after a breakfast with coke, Kräckern and cold
chicken lies down them at least briefly for sleeping. |
|
El Viejo: A very nice New Year's
Eve tradition in Peru is that the old year is burnt in the form of
a doll stuffed with clothes symbolically. The stuffed dolls are lighted
at midnight then on the street. |
|
New Year party: William had on it till 8:00 o'clock
on the celebration stood and thus it was no miracle that he not as
agreed upon 9:00 o'clock again there was to be visited around with
us the ruins situated before the town gates. Nevertheless, instead,
we do not go in the afternoon to a New Year party with live tape and
richly audience where we this time around a small little dance come
round |
|
Farewell: In spite of all many
charming people whom we have got to know here in Casma one means to
say goodbye for us but still, because the rainy season in Equador
is also in approach. After a tasty breakfast with Willian's friend
he accompanies us by the bicycle still up to the outskirts before
we us alone again on the continuation of the journey make. |
|
Camping in the dessert: The Peruvian coast
is predominantly a sandy desert in which thanks to secure water supply
the former oases have developed meanwhile to towns. We come by Chimbote
a town them her income with the fish factories resident there makes.
We have not apparently got a period in a little to the smell of fish
is produced then keeps to a certain extent. Later we find scanty 30
kilometres then a marvellous camp site behind a sandy dune and spend
thus a quiet night. |
|
Adventure tyre change: With these nice
small tyres a tyre change can become quite fast sometimes the big
adventure! |
|
Casa de Ciclistas in Trujillo: Middle of
the 80th has opened Lucho his Casa de Ciclistas "La Amistad" and since
has accommodated scanty 1000 cyclists here. While the first 15 years
with 500 visitors ran still rather comfortably has provided of the
Radreisebom of the letzen years for the fact that meanwhile more than
hundred cyclists find her way to Lucho. Because many several days
to even several months stay here is real always a cyclist here. Nevertheless,
on account of informal discrepancies Lucho has moved in 2006 with
his wife Aracelli, his 13-year-old daughter Angela and the baby Lance
in a house situated around the corner that, nevertheless, so small
ones is that it is enough just for the family. Thus rules at the moment
the unhappy situation that the cyclists are accommodated furthermore
in the house by Luchos mother (who is actually rather unhappy with
many cyclists), while Lucho does not live as said any more here. Here
many of the cyclists them come seem the saying "Wednesday casa acts
casa" (My house is to be interpreted your house) also a little bit
wrong and see the Casa de ciclistas rather than a free Hostel. Is
meant with it, however, rather: Feel like to mattock what, however,
also one means to itself with clear up and clean should involve. In
principle Lucho and Araceli want to put a new floor on her house to
be able to accommodate the cyclists then there, however, at the moment
the plans still fail because of the financial means. To be able to
help have here at least small a little we a donation ground furnished
in which the cyclists can make a donation and help therefore the
new Casa de Ciclistas to be able to build. |
|
Making music priest: Here in Trujillo some
Germans have also sat down and thus we go twice together with Lucho
to the pizzeria of a German friend. On the week-end makes here Amadeus,
a German priest, live music. Beside piano, accordion, Melodika, and
trumpet, he also plays the saxophone, while he of Lucho, the actually
drummer is with some rhythm instruments is accompanied.
|
Chan Chan: 5 km to the north
of Trujillo there lies the former city of Chan Chan of the Chimu of
empire. The Chimu lived in this town with her 60000 inhabitants on
850 A.D... up to her conquest in 1470 A.D. by the Incas. The whole
town with her houses, canals, temples and warehouses was built from
unburnt clay bricks and thus floods and the rare however still violent
rainfall have many parts of the town weggewaschen. Meanwhile to itself
many areas of the town with roofs and tarpaulins (if it rains sometimes)
protected to prevent a perfect destruction. Differently than the predecessor's
culture of the Moche the Chimu have laid her main attention, nevertheless,
not on artistically decorated tone vessels and splendid frescoes separate
on metal objects and urban development. Anyhow we have forgotten with
desolately our bicycle and front door key and this have come unfortunately
only established as us in the Huancas 20 km away del Sol y de la Luna.
Instead of visiting the ruins the Moche we cycle again back to Chan
Cahan and have the gigantic luck that our key in the cash small house
was delivered. Thus we will remain even 1 day longer here to visit
also the Mocheruinen. |
|
Hairless dogs: These hairless traditional Peruvian
dogs have a body temperature them those is higher than of normal dogs.
At that time traditionally the dogs should have been used as Body-warmer
to the treatment by arthritis. What makes to us, nevertheless, taken
aback the fact that is we here in the desert are and under circumstances
the surroundings temperature, nevertheless, at least the temperature
in the bulging ones suns itself to recumbent stones there is substantially
higher than the body temperature of the dogs.
|
Farewell party: One of Luchos sisters goes for a year
to Brazil to work, and thus there is a small resignation party for
them to the Lucho even Wolfgang could persuade with him to make music
a little bit. Entrancedly we are we on the new one the Peruvians it
create on a family celebration on the hellichten day with nothing
but music and wild Getanze on the legs put. Then at last is, nevertheless,
predominantly Nadine with Lucho in dance. |
|
241. Weekly report 07.01. - 13/01/2007
Route: Trujillo |
|
Huaca del Sol y de la Luna: The solar pyramids
and lunar pyramids to the south of Trujillo are the impressive Überbleibsel
of the Moche culture which had here from 100 - in 800 A.D. the centre
of her empire. Nevertheless, interesting in the pyramids is that these
are, actually, in each case always 2 pyramids. Since roughly all hundred
years have filled in the Moche because her "old" temple with clay
bricks and on the so won new foundation have built a new bigger temple.
I.e. during in express the form of a pyramid appears a pyramid standing
on the head lies in the internal one by after obenhin greater to growing
temple arrangements. Because the new temples were always simply built
on top about that and were made bigger and bigger, besides, also the
external walls the pyramid form originated. |
|
Mural paintings: Thanks to the fact that the old temple
arrangements were completely filled in with the clay bricks and by
the dry Wüstenklilma all wall frescoes and mural paintings are very
well-preserved of course! |
|
Adobe brick: Every clay brick is marked, by the way,
with a symbol and the archeologists suppose that the marks from according
to tax law found were made to see which household has delivered how
many the brick. |
|
Moche culture: The Moche were very warlike people,
and human victims belonged to her rituals. Thus duels with young men
(no children and women) with whom the loser was sacrificed afterwards
were organised. To relieve the tortures of the torture and those of
the next sacrificial death to the victim, nevertheless, he got a special
Drogenkoktail given. While the duel and the sacrificial ritual were
carried out only in the presence of some high aristocrats afterwards
the high priest drank the blood of the victim, nevertheless, before
the public! |
|
Historical research: The Moche were experts
in the potter and in the absence of a written language they have shown
her culture on the painted sound vessels and have received thus of
the future generations. Many sound vessels are found, by the way,
often in old Mülhalden. Thus it is also no miracle that garbage waste
dumps are hotly desired with archeologists, because they can find
here many interesting things with the help of he them conclusions
on the longest past cultures can move. Nevertheless, there our garbage
waste dumps gigantic nowadays have what good, because with many plastic
garbage we make at least some archeologists in a few Thousand years
very happy. |
|
Shower: There is rain here in Trujillo, actually,
hardly (maybe 3-5x in the year), however, as us exactly here are it
catches substantially in to pour. The roof of our room exists merely
of a plastic foil covered with reed mats, nevertheless, with the first
downpour in the morning the construction still functions rather well
and it drips / water flows only at two places into the room. However,
when it in the evening starts to rain over again violently it becomes
problematic. Already in the morning deep tubs full with water had
formed in the plastic foil by the new rainfall meanwhile are so deep
that the roof beams threaten to break and the foil is shortly before
the snatch. We look together with Jean-Babtiste, a Canadian cyclist
who lives here already since some months, all available boards on
the roof terrace together and try to support the roof and to lift
something, so that the water can run off. Nevertheless, the foil has
become quite rather fragile by the strong UV radiation and starts
to tear. Now by the litre a deep brown mud broth flows into the room.
Luckily we have cleaned in the morning the room! Then, however, after
just 2 hours we have sealed everything more or less so far and have
strengthened that we can sleep overnight quietly without having to
fear that everything breaks down and we are washed away by the floods. |
|
End well, everything well! After the a
little bit frosty receipt the relation with Luchos to mother and his
sisters a little bit after we after the farewell party of one sister
in the evening still together with Lucho loosened the space have cleared
up and have wiped. When we also still the for some time defective
big water barrel (in Trujillo there is At night no water and thus
one must fill during the day water in a water barrel to be able to
rinse at night the toilet.) have repaired and again for the small
washing bowl have exchanged them in the meantime had to hold out,
nevertheless, the ice had broken, finally. In recognition of our help
we were invited by Luchos mother on a plate of soup and are in a good
mood completely surprised we and happily she is. But I am able to
do her frustration towards many cyclists who use now and again her
house only as a cheap overnight stay possibility and help not also
sometimes kleinwenig, understand very well. |
|
242. Weekly report 14.12. - 20/01/2007
Route: Trujillo, Chiclayo, Piura, Máncora |
|
Pero mańana seguro! "But tomorrow certainly!"
. I believe the saying here some cyclists have given before us already
from themselves, however, however, there was something what has shifted
the planned departure over and over again to the back. With us these
were the lost key, the farewell party of the sister, the repair of
the roof and the Wasserkontainers and a bicycle round trip with the
youngsters of the part of town of Porvenir. Then in the end we have
still waited to two Argentines and a French them meanwhile there had
also come itself new bicycle pockets left (the Argentine had been
pinched his). 60 km to the north of Trujillo there should be because
a village in itself some thieves on bicycle traveller have specified,
however because she itself to 5 cyclists did not run we want to venture
together depart. Thus we stand by packed bicycles on the Monday morning,
finally, by 5 travel bicycles already before the house and take the
resignation photos. The last photo is just taken and as a Lucho to
the Argentine his camera back gives this falls for some reasons on
the ground and the objective is bent. Then in search of a mechanic
who can repair the camera this day also passes and thus we "check"
in the afternoon again one! Lucho does not want to let go for us yet
and under the agreement that we clear up his bicycle workshop and
afterwards still to the beach tomorrow together first with him go
we remain still a next day. Nevertheless, the cleaning out of the
bicycle workshop takes place in Peruvian kind only in the late afternoon,
so that we do not come, nevertheless, to the beach. But tomorrow we
will open absolutely! |
|
Finally we leave! To believe
hardly, nevertheless, finally, nevertheless, after 10 days we open
again. On parting Aracelli plants one more rose together with Nadine
and after several thick embraces, however, we are again on the street. |
|
Escort: To bring us certainly by Paijan, the place
with the bicycle robber, we get an escort from Lucho, Jean-Babtiste
and Enrique. In Paijan the robbers are anyhow with the motorcycle
taxis and the police under a cover. In the place is not to be driven
yet thus the problem, however, in the place the motorcycle taxi drivers
discover one and organise the raid. After one has left then Paijan the
robbers waylay for one behind the next sandy dune or in the sugarcane
fields and attack one. The police takes the whole surely calmly, although
is known where the robbers live! Thus we roll in the beginning with
5 and later by 6 bicycles abssolut sicherf and unchecked by the place.
After a letzen resignation photo in the desert our overseers cycle
again back and they want to take the coach to Trujillo taken, nevertheless,
from the place. |
|
Ice factory: In Casma we were to be spent the night by the
owner of a small ice factory from Chiclayo been invited at him if
we came through. When we will come, finally, we of course with a tasty
ice record entertained and I must pull myself together really very
much to say "no gracias" as me even more ice is offered. At the end
I would still have to them the whole factory leergefuttert! |
|
Living on the garbage dump: The waste disposal
is fundamental still a very serious subject in South America and so
long no by the state organised system gives and so long the poverty
of the social substratum still so alarmingly is these still become
furthermore people they surrender and from the garbage waste dump
must live! |
|
Dessert crossing: On our wide way to the
north we must have by a smaller desert on we for scanty 200 km no
water supply. We fill in our water bag and all water bottles up to
the edge, and then thus it is still enough for a small cat's laundry
in the evening. |
|
Mala Vida: Allowedly, the small
place on the edge of the desert cannot offer to his inhabitants even
more than heat, wind and sand, however, to christen him "Mala of Vida",
"bad life", already belongs quite a belonging serving of humor (or
resignation!). The label on the house of the medical care is especially
frightening with the name, hence, also: "Posto de Salud Vida Mala",
or: "Health post bad life"! |
|
Cracked travellers: On our wide way to
the north we hit only on a German pilgrim's eagle in 7 months of Alaska
up to here had cycled!!!! (We plan scanty 1.5 years for the distance!)
. To make apparently without right rest days, without guides and without
bicycle speedometer this cyclist is on the move and thus it is no
miracle that he has completely burnt out meanwhile. He is physical
and so exhausted mentally that he has, actually, no more desire to
weiterradeln. Later we meet only few kilometres then in the middle
of Nothing on a traveller from Colombia to ourselves, to the peace,
has made on foot on the way after Tierra del Fuego. 4.5 months he
has needed of Colombia up to here and even other 12 months are planned.
However, self-tinkered "La Paz" helmet (peace) seems to offer no especially
good solar protection. What to us because a little bit taken aback
make is that the Colombian speaks very badly Spanish. The tropical
sun has presumably seemed to him a little bit too strongly the helmet
and thus he is dehydrogenated a little bit and confused therefore
a little bit. No miracle, nevertheless, he has only one 250 ml big
empty water bottle with himself which we fill in to him then also
immediately 2x. |
|
Máncora: Now since 16 months
we are to be had bathed in South America without even just one sometimes
in the sea. If we by the sea were it was too cold thanks to the wintry
temperatures and when it became warmer we were on the move in the
Andes. Now shortly before the crossing the border from Peru we use
our last opportunity for a short bath vacation! |
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Scorpion: Now already for the
second time a scorpion has hidden here in Peru at the night under
our tent tarpaulin. When we the tarpaulin then pack up, nevertheless,
again he flees fast under the next clod of earth, back in the sure
shade. |
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Border crossing: The border is whole from Peru to
Ecuador as well as we love them. We must make the crossing the border
formalities already before the last small towns. Now one means to
reach once again anyhow by a tangle from street states and stores
the Ecuadorianische side of the border. There we have to do ourselves
once more by some narrow and blind shopping streets durchfragen, to
6 km finally later at the town exit of the check posts comes in we
receive our entry stamp |
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